QwertyMan11

Q: Search for files in a folder by date range?

Trying to sort some photos out in a folder, all muddled up form various phones and cameras, and putting them into Photos for Mac app.

 

Is there a way to search for specific date range somehow, via an recommended app or something please? I'm busy making albums, e.g. Xmas 2002, Xmas 2003, and so want to find the photo files that are in the range say 20th Dec 2002 to 2nd Jan 2003. They are all in different folders at the moment on a external drive, so scattered all over.

 

Can anyone help please?

thanks

iMac, OS X El Capitan (10.11.5), null

Posted on Jul 15, 2016 9:44 AM

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Q: Search for files in a folder by date range?

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  • by leroydouglas,

    leroydouglas leroydouglas Jul 15, 2016 10:02 AM in response to QwertyMan11
    Level 7 (22,887 points)
    Notebooks
    Jul 15, 2016 10:02 AM in response to QwertyMan11

    If you import the pics to the Photo app, they sort themselves by date.

  • by Luis Sequeira1,Helpful

    Luis Sequeira1 Luis Sequeira1 Jul 15, 2016 10:50 AM in response to QwertyMan11
    Level 6 (11,844 points)
    Jul 15, 2016 10:50 AM in response to QwertyMan11

    Or if you want you can easily search using the Finder.

     

    Press command-F and add the relevant criteria. Here is an example to search my Mac for all images created in December 2015 (and it produced the results instantaneously, too). I could search for only jpeg files, or I could search for movie files, etc. I could look for modified date instead of created date. There are many more criteria available. The sky is the limit.

     

    Screen Shot 2016-07-15 at 18.23.45.png

  • by QwertyMan11,

    QwertyMan11 QwertyMan11 Jul 15, 2016 10:53 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1
    Level 1 (14 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jul 15, 2016 10:53 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1

    Ah smart folder, didn't know they existed in Finder, thanks! Used them in iPhoto and Photos before, good idea. I'll have a go, I haven't altered any dates so should be ok to find.

  • by VikingOSX,Helpful

    VikingOSX VikingOSX Jul 16, 2016 6:56 AM in response to QwertyMan11
    Level 7 (20,606 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jul 16, 2016 6:56 AM in response to QwertyMan11

    In the Finder (or Spotlight) search bar, enter date:12/20/2002-01/02/2003 AND kind:image. You may need to reorder month and day per your locale.

  • by QwertyMan11,

    QwertyMan11 QwertyMan11 Jul 17, 2016 7:55 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1
    Level 1 (14 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jul 17, 2016 7:55 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1

    Well I'm unsure why but the smart folders aren't working for me. Sometimes on initial setup they show some files, I click on them, get info, and it shows that they are out of the parameters the I've setup for the smart folder.

     

    After if I click on a different folder in the sidebar of finder, click back on the smart folder in the sidebar, nothing is shown?!? I know I have files that are within the setup of the smart folder, so not sure what is going on, can anyone help further please?

  • by Luis Sequeira1,

    Luis Sequeira1 Luis Sequeira1 Jul 18, 2016 1:49 AM in response to QwertyMan11
    Level 6 (11,844 points)
    Jul 18, 2016 1:49 AM in response to QwertyMan11

    QwertyMan11 wrote:

     

    Well I'm unsure why but the smart folders aren't working for me. Sometimes on initial setup they show some files, I click on them, get info, and it shows that they are out of the parameters the I've setup for the smart folder.

     

    After if I click on a different folder in the sidebar of finder, click back on the smart folder in the sidebar, nothing is shown?!? I know I have files that are within the setup of the smart folder, so not sure what is going on, can anyone help further please?

     

    Try rebuilding the Spotlight database.

    Follow the instructions here:

     

        Rebuild the Spotlight index on your Mac - Apple Support